SOFII’s view

Removing barriers to giving can only help fundraisers. That's what makes Social Swipe so appealing. It makes it simple to donate and gives instant emotional gratification to the donor: a winning combination. No wonder over 1,000 people took the opportunity to swipe a donation in the first month of it being on display in international airports.

Summary / objectives

According to advertising agency Kolle-Rebbe: 'The challenge was to increase people's willingness to give and remind them, in an attention-grabbing way, that even a small donation can have a big impact. Our objective was to devise a solution that was both entertaining and innovative.'

Creator / originator

Special characteristics

This was the world's first interactive advertisement display able to accept credit card donations. All potential donors had to do to donate €2 to German international development charity, MISEREOR (http://www.misereor.org/), was swipe their credit card through a specially designed poster. Once they'd done this, they received instant feedback on what their gift would achieve.

There were two creative executions. On one poster the credit card cut through the image of the bound hands of an imprisoned Filipino child. In the other, the donors could use their credit card to cut a slice of bread from a loaf. The bread represented the cost to provide a daily meal for a family in Peru.

Importantly, donors were given the chance to turn their one-off gift into a regular gift through a request on his or her bank statement.

Costs

Not disclosed.

Results

Over €3,000 was raised from one-off donations in the first month. There was also a 23 per cent year-on-year increase in donors making three or more subsequent donations.

Merits

The interactive element of the creative and the instant feedback given to donors make it an innovative way to give. There is a novelty factor, which is clever. However, by also offering a way to make regular donations it becomes a sustainable fundraising mechanism.

Compared to a passive ask, such as a collection box, then you can see why donors would find this a much more rewarding experience.

Fundraisers can apply the principles that make this campaign a success, even if the technology is not available to them.

This fundraising campaign was presented at IWITOT London 2015.

Social swipe: The world’s first interactive advertisement display able to accept credit card donations. (scroll down to view video)